With hard rock like this there just isn’t any place to hide – if you ain’t good enuff you ain’t cuttin’ it. Kill for Eden rock like demons and this debut album is a bloody monster.
Lyla D’Souza – frontwoman and the heart of the band – hails from Australia and she is joined here by guitarist Dave Garfield who has been around the scene for years and with experience of Rammstaien and Joe Cocker you would axpect him to recognize talent.
From the first notes of ‘Kerosene’ they assault your ears with a righteous and oh-so heavy blast from Garfield plus Andrea Basiola on guitar and Mike McGuinness (bass) & Max Loubser (drums). When D’Souza tears in on vocals she brings all the sexual confidence of a Tiger in heat. The chemistry of the band is awesome and they manage to give a fresh feel to a hoary old style – think Def Leppard at their peak.
Just listening to Kill for Eden you get the feeling that they are a great live band – the music fizzes and bubbles with excitement and the sheer power coming out at you from your speakers is free of that tired sound that so many heavy bands seem to put over in the studio. I happen to know that they have been working hard to create this little gem but the recording sounds as though they just rocked up, laid it all down and buggered off to a show – for me, that is the way that rock should sound.
After the blast of ‘Kerosene’ and then ‘Untouchables’ ‘Beige’ starts almost as a relief except that they build it up over a massive bass line into one of the most powerful female vocal performances I’ve heard in a long while – she reminded me at times of Courtenay Love and at others of a female Jim Morrison.
The album runs to a full hour without any filler that I could spot. The songs are all of a high standard but the best thing is the band performance – this band rock it out with melody, dynamism and total commitment – Kill For Eden are destined for huge things and I will definitely be catching them at the 100 Club on 6th May.
